A Little Taste of Heaven in 2011

Just when I thought it might be a tad too early to post my year of end blog, I found the one from last year, which I posted on 12.21.10. So here’s goes this one, without further ado. And bear with me if it seems a bit scattered, as my body clock is still waaaaay outta whack after a trip to Vegas and working last night. As I prefaced the blog last year, I’ll update this one if anything life-changing happens between now and next week.

Favourite film: Bill Cunningham New York. I cannot speak highly enough about this documentary of legendary street fashion photographer Bill Cunningham. His employer, The New York Times, funded and produced it, and the quality and depth of exploration they did on his public, professional, and personal life are nothing short of brilliant. I won’t say anything more about it, as it needs to be watched to be appreciated. Here’s the IMDB link, where there’s a trailer for the movie as well: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1621444/

Favourite song: “For the First Time” by The Script. Besides a killer melody and the lead singer’s cuttingly soulful voice, the lyrics of this song hit especially close to home for me this year. A snippet: “Oh, these times are hard. Yeah, they’re makin’ us crazy, don’t give up on me baby…” One can watch the music video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPEBN2dVNUY&ob=av2e

Favourite television show: Enlightened. I began watching this HBO show on a bootleg Web site a couple of weeks before the season finale this month, and was immediately hooked. As I wrote on Facebook right after I watched the finale, it’s been awhile since I’ve watched the season finale of a show and immediately yearned for the new season to start. It’s just that well-written, acted to perfection, and leaves one thinking about how his/her every day life fits into their God-given place in this world. This show truly is a masterpiece collaboration between Laura Dern, Mike White, Luke Wilson, & Diane Ladd. It’s an added bonus that, thanks to critical acclaim and great word of mouth, the show has been nominated for the Golden Globes and has been greenlit for a second season, even as a few other HBO shows like my beloved Bored to Death were cancelled. (I realize I’m not technically supporting the show by watching it bootleg, but at least I get to watch it!)

Favourite Web site:dlisted.com. I actually e-mailed Michael K. the other day and got a response back in less than 24 hours. He’s a brilliantly witty writer who makes me cackle daily over his pop culture insights and observations. I don’t have a pic of Michael K. (well, I could find one, but the one below that I e-mailed him is funnier). Unless one is an avid dlisted reader, the Alexis Carrington doll in the Santa hat won’t be hysterical.

Joansie Claus

Favourite new Web site: VegasTripping.com has become my go-to source for all thing Vegas-related. While I still love Vegas4Visitors very, very much, VegasTripping’s daily updates and their informative, closely regulated message board keep me up-to-the-minute with all things Vegas-y.

Favourite comeback: This one’s a bit of a toss-up this year (unlike the last two years, when I noted bad Southern accents and Betty White as 09’s and 10’s fave comebacks respectively!). I think I’ll keep it simple and say that being truly happy has been my favourite comeback in 2011. Learning to take care of myself physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally became my top priority, and I’m proud of that.

Favourite catchphrase: I decided to add this category to the list in place of “Favourite unearthed/rediscovered TV show” because, quite frankly, I’ve unearthed waaaaaay too many shows this year to pick just one favourite. (And most of them were shows I’ve watched religiously in years past, so I merely rewatched them this year. Though discovering A Fine Romance was a fun find. So yeah, I’ll recognize that show even though I’ve done away with the category!) Back to the catchphrase: I declare a solid tie between, “Blah blah blah Mary Kate & Ashley blah blah blah” & “I will need to speak with Janice.” Those of you who know the significance of these phrases understand why I’ve beat them like a dead hoooooaaaaaarse, and will probably continue to well into 2012.

Favourite memories: I’m going to keep this section purposely vague, as I’ve been completely overwhelmed by the support of those around me this year. On the same note, I’ve realized for the first time in my life that I don’t need anyone’s approval, which is a very tough lesson to learn as a single 31 year-old whose career aspirations have been put on hold over a year after finally getting my degree. No one except God knew where I’d end up emotionally, mentally, and spiritually on 12.22.11, and I’m not even sure I know from one minute to the next where I’ll end up (or how I’ll feel, for that matter). But realizing that I can choose to do my best to be happy, regardless of my present circumstances, has brought me an unlimited supply of internal peace and joy. If anything, I’ve learned from my experiences this year to not wait until someone is going through a torrentially tough fight to let them know you’re supporting them. We can all do that every day by being good listeners and letting people know we care for them through our actions, not just our words. And that’s tough to do in itself, especially in a day and age when we all hide behind our computers and phones instead of spending face-to-face time with the ones we hold dear. I will say this: I got a little taste of heaven from the support I’ve had from those around me this year. God put people in my path whom I needed to be there, especially some people who were already in my life and just stepped forward a bit more to spend time with me. Those people know who they are, and I’ve let them know how grateful I am for them. With that being said, I still relish my alone time to browse antique stores, make record bowls, collect matchbooks, and express my thanks to God for providing a safe place to live with crazy affordable rent, a vehicle to get me to a job with good co-workers, and a loving family that just keeps growing and growing. But realizing, first and foremost, that I have to take care of myself (because no one else can do that) is the lesson I needed to learn this year. It’s funny how God can use tough times to teach us that lesson, but I’ve always said I learn best through experience. Here’s to a blessed, remarkable, enlightened 2012.